About
Reared and educated in Arkansas, Dr. Jay Curlin wrote his doctoral dissertation, “By Dint of Argument”: Milton and the Poetry of
Polemics, at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. A portion of that dissertation,
“‘An Equal Poise of Hope and Fear’: A Fraternal Harmony of Extremes,” was included
in Arenas of Conflict: Milton and the Unfettered Mind, winner of the 1998 Irene Samuel
Award for Distinguished Multiauthor Collection of Essays. Dr. Curlin served as an
exchange lecturer from the University of Michigan to Johannes Gutenberg University
in Mainz, Germany (1988-89) and as assistant professor of English at the University
of Central Arkansas (1991-97) and Southwest Baptist University (1997-98), before returning
to his undergraduate alma mater in the fall of 1998. A member of The Milton Society
of America, he has published articles in various journals and collections of essays
on Milton, Shakespeare, Denham, Ruskin, Seth, and poetic meter and form, and has presented
papers at numerous international, national, regional, and state conferences. A professor
of both literature and creative writing, Dr. Curlin is also a practicing poet and
has presented his poetry at conferences and poetry readings in Arkansas, Kansas, Mississippi,
and Missouri. He and his wife Bonnie have seven children.
Full CV
Areas of Expertise
Featured Courses Taught:
- Shakespeare
- Milton
- C.S. Lewis
- English literature
Featured Publications/Presentations:
- “That Silent Faubourg St. Germain: Ruskin and the Realms of Reading.” Philological
Review 37.1 (2011) https://scholarlycommons.obu.edu/articles/245/
- “‘Undivided Loves’: Coordination and Coherence in Shakespeare’s Sonnets.” Publications
of the Arkansas Philological Association 25.1 (1999) https://scholarlycommons.obu.edu/articles/130/
- "An Equal Poise of Hope and Fear’: A Fraternal Harmony of Extremes.” Arenas of Conflict:
Milton and the Unfettered Mind. Selinsgrove, PA: Susquehanna UP, 1997. https://scholarlycommons.obu.edu/articles/127/
• “‘The World Goes On’: Narrative Structure and the Sonnet in Vikram Seth’s The Golden
Gate.” Publications of the Arkansas Philological Association 22.2 (1996) https://scholarlycommons.obu.edu/articles/244/
• "Casual Discourse Lost: The Separation of Adam and Eve.” Publications of the Arkansas
Philological Association 20.2 (1994) https://scholarlycommons.obu.edu/articles/246/
• “Chaos in the Convent’s Narrow Room: Milton and the Sonnet.” Publications of the
Arkansas Philological Association 19.2 (1993) https://scholarlycommons.obu.edu/articles/76/
Involvement
- Milton Society of America
- Editorial Board, Slant, University of Central Arkansas
